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[Drinking] The Pub Debate - Weatherspoons



Southern Scouse

Southern Scouse

Well-known member
Jul 21, 2011
2,024
Well, The Hippodrome in March, Cambs does a great breakfast for 2, coffee and juice for about £15 in a unique atmosphere, and that includes some of the punters!
I go once a month and it’s great…
 




Guinness Boy

Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
34,264
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Invicta said:
Crosse Keys opposite Leadenhall Market in London is ok. Quick service, cheaper than anything else around.
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To be fair this is a pretty good boozer, I'd forgotten it was a Spoons.

Rocket is good for pre Fulham but plenty of other good choices round there. Makes sense price wise though.

As previously said the Gatwick North Terminal one does a very passable job before a flight.
 


Whitechapel

Whitechapel

Famous Last Words
Jul 19, 2014
4,076
Not in Whitechapel
Springal said:
Which ones are really good out of interest ?
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Thought the Cornfield Garage in Eastbourne seemed pretty nice on Thursday. Then again it was Pub 13 which probably helped :lolol: A quick google shows my memory being pretty spot on though.

Hamilton Hall in London and The Velvet Coaster in Blackpool are both decent too. The Velvet Coaster in particular would be unreal on a sunny day.

SeagullinExile said:
The cheapest. But not the best value. Most of the time you have to sit in a shithole surrounded by alcoholics.

The best value crown goes to Craft Union pubs, good prices and good atmospheres on the whole, bringing back community locals on a weekly basis. Just how pubs should be, and one of the only brands making money at the moment.
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Craft Union are great, although they run the gambit on price. I’ve been to some which are cheaper than ‘Spoons but then you get some like the Rose & Crown in Worthing which are pretty much the regular price of a boozer in the area. As you say though, normally a good atmosphere in there.

I have to give them credit for the job they’ve done on the Railway in Lancing. It’s a remarkably decent pub now, especially if you head to The Farmers first and remember they used to be about as bad as each other.
 


Baldseagull

Baldseagull

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2012
10,959
Crawley
You can find cheaper pubs, but not usually in town centres. I avoid them since Brexit, not because it was Tlm Martins view to vote Brexit, because he actively promoted it, and promoted a no deal exit.
Before that I had quite a different view of him, and think he did a grand job in disrupting the brewery monopolies and promoting real ales and decent beer.
 


Papak

Papak

Not an NSC licker...
Jul 11, 2003
1,921
Horsham
Whitechapel said:
Thought the Cornfield Garage in Eastbourne seemed pretty nice on Thursday.
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I concur, I went there at the beginning of the year and thought it was very nicely looked after and in very decent nick.

I like the historical building aspect of them - old cinemas, telephone exchanges etc. and of course pubs.

Pity about the Horsham one which I must admit, I've not stepped into for what must be approaching 25 years. It absolutely personified everything you read about 'Spoons pubs being awful. A former furniture store (Courts I believe) and a mini marathon to go for a pee :)
 








B

BLOCK F

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2009
6,373
Christ on a bike, there are some dreadful generalisations on here re the ‘awfulness of ‘spoons beers, clientele, sticky carpets etc.’
Snobby ill informed crap by some. I speak as someone who spent a career in the brewing and pub industry.
 
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The Wookiee

The Wookiee

Back From The Dead
Nov 10, 2003
14,870
Worthing
Newport Isle Of Wight
IMG_5469.jpeg
 




Worried Man Blues

Worried Man Blues

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2009
6,635
Swansea
Are useful for cheap beer and use the loos in the Carmarthen one when shopping, always prefer a small local, bit riskier beer wise but more my sort of thing.
 






S

Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
23,898
GOSBTS
BLOCK F said:
Christ on a bike, there are some dreadful generalisations on here re the ‘awfulness of ‘spoons beers, clientele, sticky carpets etc.’
Snobby ill informed crap by some. I speak as someone who spent a career in the brewing and pub industry.
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Is it not true then ? My admittedly very limited experiences in the last few years in Brighton or Worthing during the day have been they are pubs with people I’d probably not drink with - compared to places I do like, like the Selden Arms or Brookstead which have a different type of clientele.
 


Nicks

Nicks

Well-known member
Dec 8, 2022
721
Not as far west as I was before
Remember going to Wigan away on the train a few years back ( we won 1-0)
Got into Wigan at 10.00am and straight up to Spoons up the road there.
Walked in and it was like a Saturday night already with everyone dressed up and nowhere to go

They had Abbott ale at £1.40 a pint, I don't like it but at that price it's hard to resist.
How we got to the game and what happened in the first half I have no idea.
 




H

Hotchilidog

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2009
8,719
It's a cheap pub chain run by a complete dick. Nothing wrong with drinking in them though if you want. As has been said some Spoons are nicer than others, just like any other pub chain.

I used to drink in them but now I choose other places, and that's my choice. Just as it is the choice of those who do want to drink in Spoons to make their own choices. I think there is an inverted snobbery (even if it's subconscious) about the clientele when discussing this particular chain. Drink and let drink that's what I say.
 


keaton

keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,666
Whitechapel said:
Thought the Cornfield Garage in Eastbourne seemed pretty nice on Thursday. Then again it was Pub 13 which probably helped :lolol: A quick google shows my memory being pretty spot on though.

Hamilton Hall in London and The Velvet Coaster in Blackpool are both decent too. The Velvet Coaster in particular would be unreal on a sunny day.



Craft Union are great, although they run the gambit on price. I’ve been to some which are cheaper than ‘Spoons but then you get some like the Rose & Crown in Worthing which are pretty much the regular price of a boozer in the area. As you say though, normally a good atmosphere in there.

I have to give them credit for the job they’ve done on the Railway in Lancing. It’s a remarkably decent pub now, especially if you head to The Farmers first and remember they used to be about as bad as each other.
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The Cornfield Garage is probably the best around the area but it's not going to change anyone's mind about a Spoons. Second to last I was there a woman was thrown out and spat in the manager's face.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,659
The Fatherland




Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,659
The Fatherland


R

ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,227
Just far enough away from LDC
Hotchilidog said:
It's a cheap pub chain run by a complete dick. Nothing wrong with drinking in them though if you want. As has been said some Spoons are nicer than others, just like any other pub chain.

I used to drink in them but now I choose other places, and that's my choice. Just as it is the choice of those who do want to drink in Spoons to make their own choices. I think there is an inverted snobbery (even if it's subconscious) about the clientele when discussing this particular chain. Drink and let drink that's what I say.
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Agree entirely. I have drunk in spoons in many parts of the country. Some are great locations (crossed keys was one of the best /most drunken work xmas parties I can or rather can't, recall) and some are ropey as hell. Many do have sticky carpets but the thats a general pub thing.

But since 2016 I've never needed to drink in one. Initially it was my own wish not to give money to Tim Martin. I was on the verge of relenting when the non furlough staff treatment blew up in 2020 and now on the rare occasions I go to a pub there are other reasons I am out e.g. pub near a ground, meeting friends, having a meal, seeing a live band etc which means the spoons is not generally on the options list.

It's not snobbery, I mean I've drunk in the saltdean tavern and Spanish lady and I defy anybody to say their clientele is a higher social class
 


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